Lighting control system using switching means for selectively interrupting and completing a third wire circuit



Oct 29, 1968 o. WILEY R. 3,408,537 LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM USING swncnMEANS FOR SE AND COMPLETING A RD WIRE CIRCU Oct 13, 1965 TIVELYINTERRUPTI Filed WITNESSES INVENTOR W 1am, Roy 0. Wiley ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,408,537 LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM USING SWITCHING MEANSFOR SELECTIVELY INTERRUPTING AND COMPLETING A THIRD WIRE CIRCUIT Roy 0.Wiley, Huntington, Conn., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser.No. 495,410 7 Claims. (Cl. 315-313) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE lights.

The present invention relates to a versatile lighting control systemwhich can be easily and inexpensively modified so that control locationsmay be moved, and the combinations of fixtures operated from a controllocation changed to comply with the rearrangement of rooms.

Many modern buildings are constructed with large open areas subdividedinto rooms by non-load bearing partitions. Many schools, clubs,colleges, ofiice buildings and certain types of church buildings areconstructed in this manner. As needs and requirements change within thebuilding the non-load bearing partitions are rearranged to change thesize and location of rooms. With the prevalence of room rearrangementschemes, a lighting system and control means is needed that will permitfixture control from any point in the building and separate control andoperation of fixtures or groups of fixtures as partitions are rearrangedand rooms created anew. Such a system and means would then generally becapable of controlling the lighting of any room size, configuration orlocation. With this type of flexibility and versatility the need remainsto keep initial and modification costs down so that the system isinexpensive to install and safe and easy to modify. Costly rearrangementof current carrying conduits and junction boxes by skilled electriciansdoes not meet the requirements of economy, and simplicity and safety ofoperation.

There presently exists no low cost, flexible lighting circuit andcontrol means that will allow quick, easy and unskilled modification ofroom lighting modules so that control locations may be quickly moved andcombinations of lighting fixtures operated from a control locationeasily changed to comply with room relocation. It is to this end,namely, the providing of a safe and inexpensive yet highly flexiblelighting control means that the present invention is directed and whichforms the principal object thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible lightingcircuit arrangement having a low initial cost and low changeover costsusing simple means and unskilled labor.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a versatilelighting arrangement and control means in which the power wiring forlighting fixtures need not be moved or otherwise disturbed with therearrangement of room partitions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting 3,408,537Patented Oct. 29, 1968 system in which power need not be removed fromthe system to effect circuit changes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lightingcircuit control means which requires no electrical conductors in roomwalls and partitions.

In general these and other objects are accomplished by providing aseries of light fixtures electrically connected together in a powercircuit having two conductors with the light fixtures permanentlyconnected to one of the conductors. A third conductor is provided toelectrically connect the series of fixtures together. A switch means isprovided to connect the other side of each fixture to the thirdconductor and to open the third line at predetermined points for theselective electrical isolation of light fixtures. The isolated fixturescan thus form lighting groups or modules, and each group may beenergized separately by a control switch. The control switch isconnected to the third conductor and to the other conductor of the powercircuit. When the control switch is closed a power circuit is completedthrough the fixtures.

Only one control switch is needed for each lighting group, and thenumber of lighting fixtures controlled thereby is determined by thesetting of the switch means connected in the third conductor. If eachswitch means is positioned to provide a current path between eachfixture, then all the fixtures connected thereto will be energized.

The lighting fixtures may be disposed along a roof truss, beam orsimilar type of support structure with the conductors suitably supportedtherealong. Each fixture may be associated with a junction control boxwhich may contain the third line switch means and the control switch.Since only one control switch is needed to energize a lighting group,each box can be provided with a receptacle means for receiving a controlswitch. Thus the control switch can be inserted or plugged into anyconvenient location or box in the group; and control switches can beadded or removed as the number of lighting groups change in accordancewith the rearrangement of room partitions.

The novel features characteristic of the invention both as to itsorganization and method of operation, together with additional objectsand advantages thereof, will best be understood by the followingdescription when read in connection with the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a general power wiring layout constructed inaccordance with principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of one power circuit with controlmeans constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 is a more detailed circuit diagram of a control box onlyrepresentatively shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Throughout the figures, like numerals refer to like parts. In FIG. 1there is representatively shown five roof trusses, ceiling beams orsimilar types of building support structures 12 supporting a pluralityof electrical junction boxes 14 and power leads (FIG. 2) along thelength thereof.

For purposes of illustration each truss 12 is used to support junctionboxes and power leads. Obviously every other, or every third or fourth,truss may be used depending upon the distance between the trusses, thenumber of fixtures employed in each lighting area, the height of theceiling and so on. Similarly, the lighting and control system disclosedherein is not limited to truss type building construction. To house andsupport power leads, the trusses or other support structures may beprovided with raceways as an integral part thereof.

If a junction box is used, it can be provided with means to receive oneor more lamps or lighting fixtures 16, or the leads thereof, dependingupon the level of light required. It is assumed that the floor area ofthe building to be lighted will be divided into basic modules which willbe saosparthe smallest area unit within which lights will be controlledseparately. It is further assumed that the area of a module will becompletely in one room, and it is possible that the module size will bethe same as the distance between roof truss centers so that in FIG. 1trusses 12 and partitions 18 constitute lighting module boundaries.

In FIG. 2 is shown applicants unique selection and control system whichmakes possible the complete flexibility of room arrangement withpartitions 18. Four junction boxes 14 are shown in the line circuit andmay be secured in line to a truss member only representatively shown inFIG. 1. The four boxes are commonly fed by three wires that may bedisposed in the trusses as mentioned earlier. A first power wire 20commonly connects one lead of each fixture 16 between boxes 14 as shown.A second power wire 22 extends into and out of each junction boxcommonly connecting the boxes together and commonly connecting one leadof control switching device 26 in each box. A third (feed) wire 24extends through each box 14 via a selector switch 28 thereby connectingeach box 14 disposed along a single truss. Switch 28 determines thecurrent path through each junction box 14. In the two boxes on the leftof partition 18 (FIG. 2) switches 28 are set to conduct current throughthe boxes and to fixtures 16. In the junction box immediately to theright of partition 18, selector switch 28 is set to conduct current onlyto the fixture; across the partition the circuit effectively is open sothat the lights in the two rooms created by partition 18 can beseparately controlled in a manner to be fully explained hereinafter.

Switch 28 may be a multiposition type designed to handle the linecurrent, and should be capable of easy operation by janitorial or otherunskilled personnel. Switch 28 may be disposed in an exposed face orportion of junction box 14 so that the front of the switch is exposed(preferably in a downward direction) for quick and easy access thereto.Where the ceiling or roof trusses are relatively high, switching couldbe accomplished by the use of a long rod with an appropriate fittingdisposed on the switching end thereof.

Power is applied to the light fixtures by the closing of controlswitches 26 and 26' as shown in FIG. 2. The control switches apply powerto the third or feed line 24. The number of light fixtures energizedthereby will be determined by the setting of switch 28 which can open orclose the circuit between adjacent control boxes 14.

In FIG. 2, control switch 26 takes the form of a relay which suppliescurrent to both fixtures located to the left of partition 18, and ifswitch 28 were set to provide a current path therethrough (on the rightof the partition) control relay 26 would also provide lighting currentto fixtures 16' via line 24. In such a case, control relay 26' would notbe needed. With switches 28 properly set in each of the junction boxesdisposed along a single truss, one control switching device can controlall the fixtures associated therewith through line 24. If it is desiredto control fixtures disposed on adjacent trusses from one controlswitching device, light switch 30 and control relay 26 could become amaster control unit with the solenoids of control relays associated withjunction boxes disposed on adjacent trusses connected across thesolenoid of relay 26 shown in FIG. 2.

The control device as shown in FIG. 2 simply uses the line voltage tooperate control relay 26 through operation of a single pole, singlethrow switch 30. Switch 30 applies the line voltage on leads 20 and 22across the solenoid of relay 26 used to close the switching contacts.Obviously, other means and power sources may be employed to operate thecontrol device such as low voltage power sources, sonic transmitters andreceivers, or photoelectric devices.

Light switch 30, as shown in FIG. 2, may be conveniently located on adoor jamb, partition or wall, and two connecting wires can easily bedisposed thereon to run between switch 30 and junction box 14. With theuse of remote signalling devices without wire connectors, switch Y 30could function'as a sensing device and could therefore be locatedanywhere within range of the signal transmitter.

FIG. 3 shows one possible arrangement of a junction box constructed inaccordance with the principles disclosed herein. In FIG. 3, junction box14 is provided with three receptacles 35 designed to receive a plug-intype light fixture or fixture leads 37 with a plug 36 connected to oneend thereof. Any number of fixture receptacles or outlets may beprovided in box 14, three being shown in FIG. 3 for purposes ofillustration only. Plural outlets facilitate the use of either single ormultiple fixtures depending upon lighting requirements, and receptaclesfacilitate removal of fixtures for replacement and change to comply withroom rearrangement.

To provide for a plug-in type control device, box 14 is also providedwith a control receptacle 40 which facili tates the insertion andremoval of control switch devices. Each junction box can be providedwith such a receptacle to given complete flexibility. In each box,fixture receptacles 35 are commonly connected together to one side ofthe line voltage by neutral wire 20 and commonly connected to the otherside of the line voltage by hot wire 22 and control and selectorswitches 26 and 28 respectively when properly set and energized.

With the above system, when rearrangement of partitions is required, thechanging of the lighting can be easily accomplished by setting selectorswitches 28 to the desired positions, plugging-in control switchingdevices 26 into appropriate boxes 14, running control wiring down thepartition and installing light switch 30. Thus the changeover may bemade in complete safety and without description of service elsewhere inthe building since it is not necessary to open line circuits at powercontrol panels.

The functions of the receptacles and selector switches may be dispensedwith and the circuitry established by direct connecting of wires (wirenuts, for instance) or by provision of terminal blocks, The choice willbe primarily an economic one. In the one case, a somewhat higher initialcost will be offset by lower cost when the times comes for rearrangingthe rooms. In the others, a lower initial cost results in considerablyhigher cost of rearranging because the time and skill involved inrewiring circuits, In any case, the circuitry remains essentially thesame and new power wires do not have to be installed in order torearrange the lighting controls.

From the foregoing description it should now be apparent that a uniquelighting system has been devised that provides a quick, easy andinexpensive means and method for changing the control of lightingfixtures in compliance with the rearrangement of rooms. The applicantsnovel combination of inexpensive components gives complete roomarrangement flexibility and electrical safety while simultaneouslyproviding uninterrupted electrical service throughout the building. Thusthe means disclosed herein guarantees a versatility, surety and ease ofoperation heretofore unavailable in the lighting circuit modificationand control art.

Though the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that changes in details,combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, whilethe invention has been described with the use of trusses 12 as supportmeans for junction boxes 14, obviously the boxes need not be supportedthereon in order to carry out the intent of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting control system comprising a power circuit having twoconductors, a plurality of lighting fixtures connected to one of saidconductors, a third conductor, means for connecting the lightingfixtures to said third conductor, said means including switching meansfor selectively interrupting the third conductor at predeterminedlocations therealong to divide the third conductor into electricallyisolated circuit sections, and control means associated with eachsection of the third conductor for connecting the third conductor to theother conductor of the power circuit.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein the interrupting means ismanually operable.

3. The control system of claim 1 in which the interrupting means is amultiposition switch.

4. The control system of claim 1 wherein the control means is actuatedby energy supplied by the power circuit.

5. The control system of claim 1 in which the control means is actuatedby a source of energy remote from the system.

6. A circuit arrangement for controlling the application of power to aplurality of lamps or light fixtures having at least two terminals, thearrangement comprising a power circuit having at least two conductors,one terminal of each of said lamps or fixtures being permanentlyconnected to one of said conductors,

a selector switch electrically connected to the other terminal of eachof said lamp's or fixtures,

a third conductor serially connecting said selector switches together,said switches further connecting said third conductor to the otherterminal of said lamps or fixtures, and

at least one master control switch serially connected between saidselector switches and the other conductor of the power circuit forcontrolling the application of power to said lamps or fixtures.

7. A lighting control circuit comprising at least two junction boxeseach containing a selector switch and at least one of said boxescontaining a control switch, means for connecting a lighting fixture ineach of said boxes, a power line feeding said boxes with one conductorthereof permanently connected to the lighting fixture connecting meansassociated with each box, said switches being connected to provide asingle current path from another conductor of said line to the lightingfixture connecting means, and a third conductor connecting said selectorswitches together between said boxes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,048,978 12/1912 Levison 315-321X 1,170,924 2/1916 Matson 315-321 X 1,911,911 5/1933 Marsh 315-321 X2,248,085 7/1941 Holcombe 315-321 X JAMES W. LAWRENCE, Primary Examiner.C. R. CAMPBELL, Assistant Examiner.

